Combined window adjuster and lock for doors



July 13, 1937.

F. A. 4FALK COMBINED WINDOW ADJUSTER AND LOCK FOR DOORS FiledAug. 5, 1955 2 Sheets-SheetI l `Iuly 13, 1937. F, AFALK 2,086,707

COMBINED WINDOW ADJUSTER AND LOCK FOR DOORS Filed Aug. 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 13, 1937 UNITED sTATEs COMBINED WINDOW ADJUSTER AND LUC FOB DOORS Frank A. Falk, Stacyville, Iowa Application August 5, 1935, Serial No. 34,832 4 Claims, ,(Cl. 268-129) In connection with the class of doors now in common use in automobiles and elsewhere it is customary to provide one handle by which the door latch is operated and another handle which is rotated to raise or lower the sliding glass panel. In some instances there is also a pivoted panel in the door adjacent the sliding panel, which pivoted panel opens and closes by being swung on its pivot. One of my objects is o to provide a device of this class in which a single handle is utilized for all of these purposes, thereby reducing the cost and avoiding the confusion to the operator caused by the presence of two or three handles, and improving the appearance and convenience of the device by locating the single handle at the center of the door which, of course, is not possible when two handles are used.

A further object is to provide a device of this a0 class in which a rotary movement of the handle will raise and lower the movable panels and a tilting movement of the same handle will release the door latch.

A further object is to provide a device of this class in which the movable latch bolt is arranged to move up and down at the edge of the door, so that when the door is open it will not project outwardly from the edge of the door in the objectionable and dangerous manner of slide bolts that move horizontally outwardly from the edge of the door, and further in this connection it is my object to provide a vertically arranged socket in the door frame to receive the latch and to hold the door against movement toward and from the adjacent edge of the door frame, as well as door opening and closing movements.

A further object is to provide means of simple construction for automatically holding the latch 4o bolt in its open position and for releasing it upon the closing of the door, and further in this connection to provide a single inexpensive spring for oper ating both the latch bolt and the bolt holder. A further object is to provide an improved and simplified construction by which the operating handle may be freely rotatedv without disturbing the connection between the handle and the latch bolt.

A further object is to provide improved means of simple and inexpensive construction for raising and lowering the sliding panel and the pivoted panel and holding them in any position of their adjustment.

My invention consists in the construction,

arrangement vand combination of the various parts ofthe device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in 5 which:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the inner face of the door having my improvement applied thereto, a portion of the inner layer of the door being broken away to show the latch and panel 10 operating mechanism.

Figure 2 shows an enlarged detail vertical sectional view through a portion of the door and taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 shows an enlarged detail vertical sec- 15 tional view taken through a portion of the door and the hollow shaft which supports the operating handle, and illustrating the flexible connection between the handle' and the latch bolt withdrawing link.

Figure 4 shows an enlarged detail vertical sectional view through the outer edge of the door and the adjacent portion of the door frame, and illustrating the latch in closed position.

Figure 5 shows a sectional view on the line 25 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows a face view of the door illustrating the position of the latch bolt and latch bolt holder when the latch bolt is in its closed position, and by dotted lines illustrating the 3@ position of the latch bolt holder for holding the latch bolt in open position.

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a door having a sliding panel and a pivoted panel with my improved device arranged to operate both of said 35 panels at the same time; and

Figure 8 shows a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral I0 to indicate 40 generally the automobile door, and Il the sliding glass panel therein, both of ordinary construction.

Near the center of the door frame there is mounted a hollow shaft, indicated generally by the numeral I2. The inner end of this shaft is 45 widely flared and has rounded edges at I3, for purposes hereinafter made clear, and on the outer end of the hollow shaft I have provided laterally extended hinge members I4, and fulcrumed to these hinge members I4 is a handle member indi- 50 cated generally by the reference numeral I5 and provided with a handle I6, preferably having the knob I1 at the end furthest from the fulcrum point. This handle is shaped to be conveniently grasped, both for rotating the hollow shaft and 55 for raising the end of the handle opposite from the fuicrum. The handle is also provided with an inwardly extending lug IB to project through the hollow shaft, and provided with a. swivel point I8a, as clearly shown in Figure 3. Fixed to this swivel |8a is a link chain I9 which engages the rounded shoulders I3 and then extends in a direction parallel with the inner face of the door frame and has attached to it the link 20 to engage the latch bolt to which it is connected, as shown in Figure 4.

Fixed to the hollow shaft I2 is a sprocket wheel 2|, and a sprocket chain 22 is passed over this sprocket wheel. Mounted in the door below the sprocket wheel is a tube 23 formed with a. longitudinal slot as shown at 24 in Figure 2, and this tube is of a size to loosely iit the sprocket chain so that the sprocket chain cannot buckle within the tube. Fixed to the sprocket chain 22 is a link 25 which is extended upwardly and pivotally connected to the sliding panel as shown in Figure 2. Connected to the free end of the sprocket chain 22 is a spring 26 secured to the door, so arranged as to normally pull the free end of the sprocket chain 22 outwardly and down- 1 wardly to thereby take up the slack in the free end of the sprocket chain and to hold it taut and against rattling.

In practical use with this portion of my inventionit will be seen that when the operator desires to raise and lower the sliding panel, the handle I6 is grasped and rotated. When the handle is rotated in a direction for lowering the sliding panel the sprocket chain 22 is forced downwardly within the tube 23, and since it cannot buckle, it carries the link 25 with it in a downward direction, thus lowering the panel. The slotted tube also guides the panel in its up and down movements and thus prevents binding. During the upward movement of the panel the spring 26 moves the free end of the sprocket chain downwardly and toward the edge of the door and prevents it from slacking, and counterbalances the weight of the panel. Furthermore, during all of this rotary movement of the handle I6 the position of the link 20 is not in any way aiected because the swivel III-a permits the handle to rotate without in any way affecting the position of the link 20; and due to the fact that the inner end of the hollow shaft I2 is wide open and has rounded edges I3, a rotary movement of the hollow shaft will not affect the chain 9.

In the form of my invention shown in Figures '7 and 8 I have illustrated, in addition to the slid.

ing window panel I I, a pivoted window panel IIa of ordinary construction. At its pivotal point the pivot shaft I Ib extends downwardly on the inside of the door and is provided at its lower end with a worm gear I Ic. Fixed to the hollow shaft I2 is a worm gear |2a which is in mesh with the worm gear ||c. Hence, when the hollow shaft I2 is rotated in one direction, both the sliding panel and the pivoted panel will be opened, and when rotated in the opposite direction both will be closed.

'I'he door latch proper comprises a body portion 21 pivotally supported on a bearing 28 and contained within a sheet metal frame 29. This body portion is formed with a latch bolt member 30 which is substantially round in cross section and which, when in closed position, lies close to the outer face of the casing 29 at the edge of the door opposite from the hinged edge. This casing 29 is formed with an inwardly extended portion at 3|, and the latch bolt member 30 projects through an opening in this inwardly extended portion 2|, as clearly shown in Figure 4.

Mounted on the door frame adjacent to the casing 29 is a sheet metal 4plate 32 having at its central portion, as shown in Figure 5, a socket 33 projected over the door frame toward the door opening far enough to enter the inwardly extended part of 3| of the frame 29, and this socket is so shaped that when the door is closed, the latch bolt may be moved downwardly to the position shown in Figure 4 and into the socket 33. In this connection, it is obvious that, when the latch is in its closed position within the socket 33, the door is held against opening and closing movement and also against movement toward and from the door frame, thus preventing rattling and forming a secure lock. Furthermore, with this form of latch it is` obvious that, when the door is open, the latch bolt itself does not project out from the door as is the case with ordinary slide bolt door latches, and, hence, with my device there is no danger of injuring persons entering or leaving through the door opening on account of rubbing against the ordinary slide bolt latch.

For the purpose of holding the latch in its open position'I have provided a shaft 34 pivotally mounted within the casing 29 and having an upwardly extended arm 35 normally lying Within the inwardly turned portion 3| of the casing 29 and substantially parallel with the latch bolt 30, as shown in Figures and 6.

Formed on the shaft 34 is a crank arm 36, and a spring 31 engages this crank arm at one end and also engages the latch body 21 at its other end in such manner as to apply yielding pressure to the latch body in a direction to move the latch to its closed position, and at the same time apply yielding pressure to the crank arm 36 in a direction to move the arm 35 toward the latch bolt member 30.

These parts are so arranged that, when the door is moved from its open to its closed position, the socket 33 on the door frame will iirst engage the keeper arm 35 and move it out of the pathof the latch bolt, and when that is done, the spring 31 moves the latch bolt to closed position through the socket 33.

In practical use with my improvement I have demonstrated that by providing a single handle to operate both the door latch and the sliding panel and the pivoted panel, a much simpler construction is provided and a much vcheaper construction is also provided than with the devices now in common use in which three independent handles are provided for this purpose. Furthermore, with my improved latch', and when the door is open, the latch bolt lies ilat against the edge of the door and does not project out from it, and this is important in that it prevents injury which is often caused by an outwardly projecting latch bolt. The entire device may be quickly and easily installed in a door frame and. when installed, firmly hold the door against movements in all directions and against rattling, and the spring 26 prevents rattling of the chain 22; and, where a single handle is provided, as in this case, it may be located centrally of the door, whereas when two or three handles are provided, as in common use, one of them must be located near the edge of the door, and, hence, are often in the way and are objectionable on that account.

I claim as my invention:

1. A combined window adjuster and door lock. comprising a support, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in the support, a iiexible pushing and hollow shaft, a movable panel to which the saidv flexible member is attached, a handle pivoted toA pulling member fixed to and wound around the hollow shaft, a movable panel to which the said flexible member is attached"l arigid tube through which said flexible member is extended to prevent buckling when used as a pushing member, a handle pivotedl to the outer face of the hollow shaft at a point spaced outwardly from the center of the shaft and whereby the shaft may be rotated upon rotation of the handle, and a flexible connecting member extended through the hollow shaft, xed to the handle between its pivotal point and its outer end, a latch device connected to the other end so that a tilting movement of the handle when in any position of its rotary movement will operate the latch device.

2. A combined window adjuster and door lock comprising a. support, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in the support, a flexible pushing and pulling member fixed to and wound around the hollow shaft, a movable panel to which the said flexible member is attached, a handle pivoted to the outer face of the hollow shaft at a point spaced laterally from the center of the shaft and a connecting member attached to the handle substantially in line with the center of the hollow shaft and extended through the hollow shaft, a pinion fixed to the hollow shaft, a second pinion in mesh with the first and a second movable panel operatively connected to the last mentioned pinion.

3. A combined window adjuster and door lock comprising a support, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in the support, a flexible pushing and pulling member fixed to and wound around the the outer face of the hollow shaft at a point spaced laterally from the center of the shaft, and

a connecting member attached to the handle substantially in line with the center of the hollow shaft and extended through the hollow shaft, a second panel, a rotatable shaft to which the second panel is xed at its pivot point, and gearing devices connecting said hollow shaft and the shaft of the pivoted panel wherebyk a rotation of the hollow shaft will rotate the pivoted panel.

4. A combined window adjuster and door latch, comprising a door, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in the door, a exible pushing and pulling member fixed to and wound upon the hollow shaft, a movable panel to which said flexible member is attached, means for preventing said flexible member from buckling when used as a pushing member, a handle pivoted to the hollow shaft at a point spaced outwardlyr from the center of the shaft and whereby the shaft may be rotated upon a rotation of the handle, a second flexible connecting member extended through the hollow shaft and attached to the handle whereby when the handle is tilted on its pivot the latter flexible member will be moved lengthwise, a spring actuated door latch carried by the door and normally in its extended position, said latter flexible connecting member being attached thereto and whereby the door latch may be withdrawn by a tilting movement of said handle.

FRANK A. FALK. 

